Our columnist on why the Betfred St Leger remains so important - and what's going to win on Saturday.
Amidst the headwinds threatening British horse racing in the form of attacks on gambling and bookmakers, it is worth a reminder - especially to the government - that this is one of the best racing industries in the world.
While maligned by some, Saturday's 250th Betfred St Leger is emblematic of the quality and variety of horses raced in this country and Ireland whereas in many other countries, there wouldn't be a horse good enough to run in the race.
Indeed, our 70 and 80-rated horses would probably be stars in other jurisdictions.
The existence of middle-distance, staying stock is the result of continued and resolute support and investment from some of the biggest breeding operations in the world, most notably Coolmore, Darley and Juddmonte.
Meanwhile, Australia, home of the world's most famous staying handicap, can barely produce horses that stay further than ten furlongs (or 2000 metres) whereas there are some tremendous horses that can stay a lot further in this part of the world.
Against all the trends and fashions associated with precocity and speed, John Magnier and his team at Coolmore continue to produce horses that can compete in the longer distance Classics.
So too Sheikh Mohammed, surely the industry's greatest benefactor, and Juddmonte have continued the rich middle-distance pedigrees of the late Khalid Abdulla too.
While the costs of keeping horses in training for many owners requires the need for a speedy return, the continued resolve of these stellar outfits has prevented British and Irish racing from sliding into the same dire situation as our friends Down Under.
Saturday's final Classic is a huge test of the modern thoroughbred and, while many regard the race as the weakest of the five Classics, it is perhaps the most significant in terms of providing a target for horses who might otherwise be in short supply.
In my job as a racing commentator, I have 'called' the St Leger many times; the race produces a tremendous vibe and, in last year's renewal, the atmosphere was so febrile that the commentary was drowned out for much of the contest.
As a supposed 'champion of the North', our new Prime Minister Andy Burnham who, on his watch, is threatening to allow considerable and needless damage to a world-leading industry providing employment to 80,000 people, should get himself along to Town Moor and feel the passion of the Northern racegoers.
It has always been the case. Go to Beverley, Thirsk and, of course, York and whereas crowds at some southern meetings can be much depleted, there is usually a good, enthusiastic turnout.
In this year's Melbourne Cup, Joseph O'Brien could potentially be responsible for half the field and, in what has been an outstanding season, ENCELADUS (with Billy Loughnane booked to ride) is fancied to produce yet one more big-meeting win on Saturday.
When one considers that this horse has only run five times, and was beaten on both his starts as a two-year-old, he has made quite phenomenal improvement.
After winning his maiden at Cork in April, he produced a gutsy win upped to a mile-and-a-half in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot off a debut mark of 89 for which he was raised 10lb.
Enceladus then took his form - and rating - to another level when delivering a decisive win in last month's Gordon Stakes at Goodwood and, now given a figure of 112, connections are confident that the son of Sea The Stars will comfortably stay the extra two furlongs-plus at Doncaster.
By way of a small endorsement, his half brother Moab has won over the trip and landed a maiden hurdle at Fontwell on Sunday for Henrietta Knight.
As ever, Joseph's father Aidan - and Coolmore - will provide stiff opposition and, maybe another pacemaker (I wish they wouldn't) but the Derby winner and ante-post favourite Christmas Day was just a little disappointing behind Maltese Cross and stablemate Pierre Bonnard in the Voltigeur at York.
After a slow start to the campaign, the latter may prove the biggest danger and will be helped by every drop of rain that falls, but Enceladus looks more progressive.
Playing the name game isn't always easy
A glance down the rolls of honour associated with major races would generally suggest that horses with bad names don't usually make it to the top. My St Leger fancy Enceladus (an icy moon of Saturn) is an intelligent one being a son of Sea The Stars out of Martini Glass.
Sue Magnier of Coolmore does a splendid job reserving names from across a wide spectrum of famous places, people and the arts. Think of some of the Derby winners like Galileo, High Chaparral, Camelot, Ruler Of The World and City Of Troy but Juddmonte have 'got away' with Enable and Item in recent years.
For one of the greatest fillies of all time, how inadequate was Enable?
And what sort of a name is Item? It just reminds me of those automatic checkouts at the supermarket; "don't forget to take all your items..."
Or does it refer to John and Mary being ‘an item’? Or Peter and Paul?
Having been in the business for many decades with the famous colours being carried by the likes of Frankel, Quest For Fame and Dancing Brave (that's more like it), it looks like the team are running out of ideas.
Indeed, I remember Teddy Grimthorpe, when he was Juddmonte's racing manager, saying that naming so many horses was always a challenge.
We've probably all heard punters saying that they backed a horse "because I liked the name" and, looking ahead to Saturday's 250th Betfred St Leger, one is reminded of many great winners of the oldest Classic with some inspired monikers to match.
Coolmore again: Milan, Scorpion, Leading Light, Capri, Kew Gardens and, last year, Scandinavia.
Indeed, if you peruse the list of winners, there isn't a name as bad as Item among them.
For owners, it can be fun to give their horse a name, and some are more inventive and imaginative than others.
One of my favourites was a horse called Lowawatha, by Dancing Brave out of a mare called Shorthouse, but he didn't amount to much.
And poor old Helcatmudwrestler was never going to make it.
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